


Whiskey Wedding

by Higgystar



Category: Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Kink Meme, Mentions of Suicide, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-04
Updated: 2014-04-04
Packaged: 2018-01-18 05:04:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1416106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Higgystar/pseuds/Higgystar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt from the kink meme: A drunk Hershel decides that after Beth's attempted suicide, she needs someone to help keep her strong. Through use of whiskey and a shotgun, he convinces Jimmy he needs to marry Beth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Whiskey Wedding

Beth has never seen her daddy drink before, and though she never understood when Maggie told her how he could be so different, she’s starting to believe all those stories. He’s been mad at her before, but never like this. Not fuming mad and spitting out curse words she never really knew before. Daddy bandages her wrist with gentle fingers, but she can see the tightness in his lips and how tense he is across his shoulders.

“I’m sorry daddy. I was just so upset.” She keeps her voice low, barely even a whisper as she sits on the bed besides him. Her skin is as pale as his, and his soft fingers stroke over her arm before he lifts her wrist to kiss against the bandages, just like he used to when she was small. Daddy smells of alcohol, the strong kind that almost burns her nose as she takes it in, the kind she knows is harsh and not forgiving when it comes to emotions.

Her father nods, not meeting her eyes as he strokes over her injury once more. His eyes have a glaze to them one she’s never seen before and it’s a bit frightening. “Don’t apologise, just don’t do it again.”

Beth agrees quietly, not wanting to interrupt him from where he sits, clearly thinking to himself as he tidies away his supplies. He stands and takes another sip from that hip flask she’s never seen before, swallowing down more of the alcohol and making that look in his eyes intensify. She feels nervous when she gets off the bed, wary of her own father in a way that she’s never felt before. “Can I go see Jimmy? I know he’s worried about me.”

Daddy grits his teeth, his fingers shake as he brings the flask back up to his lips for another swig of drink. “I don’t think so, I need to have a talk with the boy first.” Beth wonders just what he has in mind, his voice is just so concentrated, deep and full of emotion as he walks to the door. When he meets her eyes she can feel that she needs to do as he says, no arguments today, it would only make things worse. “Stay here and rest, I’ll be up to see you soon.”

And with that he’s gone, closing the door firmly behind him with a silence that is almost deafening. The lock doesn’t click, but it might as well do, she feels as trapped as she would with it on. Moving to the window she tries to settle the unease in her stomach, looking out to watch as the newcomers moved about their camp. They don’t know her dad, they don’t know there’s something wrong him right now and that he’s different on the drink just like Maggie always said. Playing with the bandage idly she hopes her daddy won’t do anything too stupid.

\---

Hershel has not had alcohol in so long the taste of it was almost sickening, burning his throat and almost scalding as he swallowed it down. Right now it’s everything he needs, something to take his mind off of the barn, off of the deaths of his loved ones and the knowledge that there was no fix to this situation. To make it worse, his baby girl, his Beth had hurt herself over it all because he couldn’t help her, he may be her father but he wasn’t what she needed. He’d taken a few moments after leaving her in her room to rest, just sitting at the table with the bottle of whiskey he’d hidden away and tried to forget about. The glass is cold against his palm as he sips, a contrast to the fire in his throat and rolling sickness in his stomach.

He’s always been a strong man, trusting in the Lord to guide him into how best to serve his family. It had taken a while to give up the drink, to realise that loving his family and protecting them was the most important thing in the world, more important than his want to imbibe. He’d trained hard, become a vet and worked to earn enough money for them to be well cared for, saved his father’s farm from disrepair and given them a future. Before all this had happened he’d been so proud of his kids, all of them growing into wonderful young men and women with good morals and working for a good future.

When he’d been younger, lost in the drink and anger at his father, he’d found Josephine and everything had been easier with her there beside him. She’d been his light, his strength, helping him through the tough times and loving him even more through the good. If God had seen him to be a good enough man to be worthy of Josephine, then he knew he must have been doing something right. When she’d died, it had taken every memory of her kicking him to the couch and helping him through it before to stop him from descending to the drink again.

Maggie had helped, and baby Beth had given him something to hang onto and to live for. When Annette had become a part of his life things got easier still and before he knew it she and her newborn Shawn had become a part of their family. Things had felt complete then, like his life had been working up to the point where all he had to do was look after his family for the rest of time. They were strong together and through everything they’d been through they always had each other to help them through it.

Then things had gotten bad, and Annette and Shawn had gotten sick. It had broken him, but Maggie, Beth, Otis and Patricia had steered him through it, given him a reason to continue, kept him focussed and off the drink enough to get through it. Again he had to focus on keeping their family safe, strong and together at such a time like this. Now he’s beginning to see the world for what it was, a place of death and danger around every corner and his daughters were now left with no one if he wasn’t there to help.

Though Maggie had Glenn now, and the kid was decent, well raised with an inner strength that Hershel is glad to see. To have survived this long and still have that fire inside of him willing to fight another day, Hershel knew that he would protect Maggie with his life. But Beth? She was so young, so innocent, and without anyone to protect her if he wasn’t around. It was a terrifying thought, especially when he knew the chances of an old man like him getting through this situation unscathed. Glenn and Maggie would of course be with her, but it just wasn’t the same.

He remembers the strength that a partner can give you, how alive he had felt with Josephine and then with Annette, like he could achieve anything with them by his side. Finishing the rest of his glass he nods to himself, confirming his thoughts and heading out to find the shotgun from the old shed and Jimmy for a chat.

Rick and his group leave him be, Shane having at least some decency to look away and ashamed of himself as they clear out the barn. He can hardly look as they transfer the dead, moving those they love to safer places to rest, and those they found elsewhere. It’s sickening, that in this world there was no such thing as being noble in death anymore.

Approaching the shed he ignores the looks he can feel on his back when he retrieves the gun, holding it loosely before heading to where Jimmy was securing the fence. The boy looks younger than he remembers, but he’s finding that everyone looks younger than they used to before all this. When he’d found out about he and Beth, Hershel hadn’t been best pleased, she was his baby and this boy had the gall to try to hurt her. They’d shared words, there had been a few idle threats and Hershel knew the boy had some residue fear that always lingered when they interacted. A little bit of fear could be healthy.

“Everything alright Mr Greene?”

Hershel takes a moment to look the boy up and down, noting his muscles, remembering how he had disobeyed him to try and help that little girl. He’s young, but his heart was in the right place and that meant a lot. Feeling the weight of the shotgun in his hand he keeps it close as he stands in front of the boy, using his height to his advantage as he asks. “Do you love my daughter?”

“Yes, of course.” Jimmy is quick to respond, moving to lean on the fence post and give all of his attention to the farmer.

Keeping his voice steady, Hershel allows his other hand to move to his hipflask, feeling the coolness of the metal as a source of courage if needed. “Will you protect her? If something happened to her would you do anything to save her?”

Jimmy is quiet for a moment, looking around the fields as if the answer would crop up out of the grass like a cricket. He looks uneasy, on edge as he licks at his lips, reaching up to wipe at the sweat on his forehead in a nervous gesture. “Mr Greene I don’t understand…”

“I might not always be around with the world what it is.” He cuts in, determined to get his point across. “I need to know that my Beth is safe, that she’s got someone who will love her, care for her and keep her safe. You know how to shoot now, you can protect her, keep her safe from the rest of the world.” Shifting his weight he moves to hold the shotgun with both hands before him, not mentioning it but giving Jimmy a non verbal gesture that he would understand.

It seems to be enough and within second the boy is stumbling over his words to try and reassure him. “Of course, I’d try my best to keep her safe no matter what Mr Greene. I love Beth, I’d do anything for her.”

He can hear the honesty, but it’s not enough to simply say things that could be forgotten. “Good. Then you’ll marry her today, show how willing you are to stay with her by taking her hand in marriage and swear in front of almighty god to protect her until your dying day.”

The boy looks frightened, uneasy and on edge, moving to fidget as Hershel checks the shells are loaded in his gun properly. When Jimmy speaks it’s quiet, frightened and with a shakiness that Hershel finds strangely satisfying. “But Mr Greene I’m not ready to get married yet.”

“You think the world is going to be patient with you? There is no being ready anymore, you just have to move with what happens. Beth needs you and I need you to keep Beth safe, having you and her wed would give me the reassurance I need to know you’re going to honour that vow.” Hershel knows he’s getting loud, the tone of his voice getting harsher as he carries on, emotions coming into play and mixing with the drink, making him hold the shotgun tighter and reach out to grasp at Jimmy’s shoulder in a tight grip. He can see the boy is listening when he winces at the pressure.

“Does Beth even want to get married Mr Greene?”

The question makes him pause for a moment but the drink helps the words flow easier. “My little girl has been dreaming of her wedding day since she was playing with dolls. It was never quite like this, but beggars can’t be choosers nowadays. I know she loves you, I know she cannot take care of herself as much as she thinks she can, she’s strong but she needs someone to help her see it. You need to be that man for her Jimmy. You understand?”

The shotgun feels heavy in his grip, a weight on his mind as well as in his hand, Jimmy’s nods making his body shake in his grip for a moment, making him wonder if it’s mixed with trembling. He finds he doesn’t care much. Moving to take up his flask again he takes another drink, feeling the heat of the sun burn on the back of his neck as Jimmy fidgets before him.

“I shall perform the ceremony myself, joining you and my daughter in holy matrimony.” Hershel nods to himself, noting the way Jimmy can’t meet his eyes, scuffing at the ground nervously. “We’ll find you more suitable clothing.” He grumbles, turning to head back towards the house, shotgun resting against his shoulder as he walks.

The group watches him as he moves past, Rick going to intercept him before Lori tugs him to fall back. Hershel is grateful, he really doesn’t need anyone from that group to come and tell him how to help his family or how to deal with his own business. They know nothing of keeping their own safe, of how to secure their safety in the future. He knew what his daughters needed, they needed someone by their side to help them be strong, to hold their hand through the tough times and kiss them through the good.

Finishing the rest of the whiskey in the hip flask he sets it on the tabletop before heading up the stairs to tell Beth the news. He may not be strong enough without Annette by his side to help him protect them, but he can give his daughters their own help to keep them strong. If nothing else, he knows how to keep his family safe.


End file.
